Extrudable fluoropolymer blends

ABSTRACT

Provided is a melt processable fluorothermoplastic composition comprising a major amount of a first semi-crystalline fluorinated copolymer and a minor amount of a second fluoropolymer effective to reduce melt defects in the composition. Each fluoropolymer is selected from four classes. The first class, (a), includes a semi-crystalline perfluorinated copolymer. The second class, (b), includes a fluoropolymer derived from interpolymerized units of at least one essentially perfluorinated monomer and at least one non-fluorinated hydrogen-containing monomer. The third class, (c), includes a fluoropolymer derived from interpolymerized units of at least one partially-fluorinated monomer, and optionally at least one essentially perfluorinated monomer. The second fluoropolymer is selected from a category other than the category in which the first fluoropolymer is selected. The minor component also can include interpolymerized units of a PAVE, and/or a PAOVE. A method of improving surface properties in a fluoropolymer extrudate is also provided.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to melt processable fluorothermoplasticcompositions comprising a blend of different fluoropolymers, as well asmethods of improving extrusion properties in extrudedfluorothermoplastics.

BACKGROUND

Fluoropolymers have found wide utility in a vast array of applications.However, they are often beset by processing difficulties. Specificdifficulties include surface roughness such as melt fracture and otherproblems such as die drooling.

Higher processing temperatures can reduce some of these problems, butmay involve other problems. One such problem is the molecular weightdegradation of the fluoropolymer. This can result in reduced physicalproperties, can contribute to the die drool, and the corrosiveby-products can lead to premature wear of the processing equipment.

Another alternative to reduce the surface roughness of extrudates is toreduce the processing rate. This increases the residence time of thefluoropolymer in an extruder, which also contributes to degradation.Reducing production rates is also economically undesirable.

Decreasing the molecular weight of the input fluoropolymer can allow forlimited improvements in output, but this also decreases the mechanicalproperties of the polymer. Such a mechanical property detriment may thenbe partially offset by the addition of costly comonomers, but thismodification can add production complications and detract from otherphysical properties.

Another approach toward reducing surface defects in fluoropolymers hasbeen to create a mixture of several fluoropolymers having similarcomposition yet of significantly different molecular weights in attemptto balance the polymer properties with the processing parameters. Intheory, a lower molecular weight portion allows for higher output ratewith the blend, while a higher molecular weight portion improves themechanical properties of the blend. This compromise achieves limitedsuccess and increases the complexity required to produce such amaterial.

Yet another approach involved adding a polyolefin to specificfluoropolymers. However, the temperatures necessary for processingfluoropolymers are usually too high for this approach. In addition, sucha material can negatively affect properties of the fluoropolymer, suchas color, permeation rate, and chemical resistance.

JP 60-23701 describes a blend of a fluorinated elastomer and a copolymerof tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropene (FEP) to achieve heatstress-crack resistance. U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,479 describes amelt-processable thermoplastic consisting essentially of a blend of afluoropolymer and an elastomeric tetratluoroethylene-perfluoro(alkylvinyl) ether copolymer.

SUMMARY

Despite these attempts, there is still a great need to be able toprocess fluoropolymer materials at higher output rates while maintaininga quality finish on the part and without sacrificing mechanicalproperties.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a melt processablefluorothermoplastic composition comprising a major amount of a firstsemi-crystalline fluorinated copolymer and a minor amount of a secondfluoropolymer effective to reduce melt defects in the composition. Eachfluoropolymer is selected from four classes. The first class, (a),includes a semi-crystalline perfluorinated copolymer. The second class,(b), includes a fluoropolymer derived from interpolymerized units of atleast one essentially perfluorinated monomer and at least onenon-fluorinated hydrogen-containing monomer. The third class, (c),includes a fluoropolymer derived from interpolymerized units of at leastone partially-fluorinated monomer, and optionally at least oneessentially perfluorinated monomer. The fourth class, (d), includes anamorphous copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene. Whenthe first fluoropolymer is selected from (a), the second fluoropolymeris a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer selected from (b) and/or (c). Whenthe first fluoropolymer is selected from (b), the second fluoropolymeris selected from (a), (c), and/or (d). When the first fluoropolymer is acopolymer selected from (c), the second fluoropolymer is selected from(a), (b), and/or (d).

In another aspect, the present invention provides a melt processablefluorothermoplastic composition comprising a major amount of asemi-crystalline fluorinated copolymer and a minor amount of afluoropolymer effective to reduce melt defects (such as melt fracture orsurface roughness) in the composition. The second fluoropolymer (minoramount) is selected from an amorphous fluorinated copolymer derived frominterpolymerized units of a perfluoro (alkoxy vinyl) ether and acomonomer which may be partially or fully fluorinated, and/or anamorphous fluorinated copolymer derived from interpolymerized units ofat least 3 mole percent (mol %) of an hydrogen containing comonomer, anda perfluoro (alkoxy vinyl) ether and/or a perfluoro (alkyl vinyl) ether.This group of materials may also be used in conjunction with the otherminor component fluoropolymers as defined herein.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of improvingextrusion properties in an extrudate. This method comprises blending amajor amount of a first semi-crystalline fluorinated copolymer and aminor amount of a second fluoropolymer effective to improve extrusionproperties in the composition, and melt processing the blend to form theextrudate. In this method, each fluoropolymer is selected from one offour classes:(i) a semi-crystalline perfluorinated copolymer; (ii) afluoropolymer derived from interpolymerized units of at least oneessentially perfluorinated monomer and at least one non-fluorinatedhydrogen-containing monomer; (iii) a fluoropolymer derived frominterpolymerized units of at least one partially-fluorinated monomer,and optionally at least one essentially perfluorinated monomer; and/or(iv) an amorphous fluorinated copolymer derived from interpolymerizedunits of a perfluoro (alkoxy vinyl) ether and a comonomer which may bepartially or fully fluorinated, and/or an amorphous fluorinatedcopolymer derived from interpolymerized units of at least 3 mole percent(mol %) of an hydrogen containing comonomer, and a perfluoro (alkoxyvinyl) ether and/or a perfluoro (alkyl vinyl) ether. Also in thismethod, when the first fluoropolymer is selected from (i), the secondfluoropolymer is a fluoropolymer selected from at least one material ofclass (ii), a semi-crystalline material of class (iii), and/or amaterial from class (iv); when the first fluoropolymer is selected from(ii), the second fluoropolymer is selected from (i), (iii), and/or (iv);and when the first fluoropolymer is a copolymer selected from (iii), thesecond fluoropolymer is selected from (i), (ii), and/or (iv).

When a fluoropolymer is melt-processed, issues of surface defects,output rates, and mechanical properties must be addressed. Surprisingly,when these same fluoropolymers are used in blends of the presentinvention, remarkably improved processing flexibility results. Theextrudable compositions of the invention are not as prone to the thermalinstability issues of known blends. In addition, the end-use propertiesof articles made from the major component fluoropolymer, such aspermeation, extraction, and chemical resistance, can be preserved in thefluoropolymer blends of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a fluoropolymer blend iscomprised of combinations of fluoropolymers selected from four distinctclasses. Materials are selected from at least two different classes toform the fluoropolymer blend of the invention.

The fluoropolymers and fluoropolymer blends of the invention are meltprocessable. As used herein, “melt processable” means that the materialcan be repeatedly processed with the assistance of heat. That is, thefluoropolymers and fluoropolymer blends can be extruded withoutthermosetting or cross-linking.

The fluoropolymers of the invention preferably have a melt flow index(MFI) of about 1 g per 10 min or greater, under a load of 5 kg at thetemperature at which they are to be processed. In general, thefluoropolymers will have a melt viscosity of less than about 10⁶ Poiseat the desired processing temperature. In addition, the molecular weightof the fluoropolymer is sufficiently high so as not to be consideredoligomeric, i.e., a number average molecular weight above about 10,000g/mol.

The fluoropolymers in the blend of the invention are selected from fourclasses. The first class comprises monomers that are essentiallyperfluorinated. As used herein, “essentially perfluorinated” means thatless than about 5 weight percent (wt %), more preferably less than about1 wt % or even 0 wt %, of the monomers have hydrogen substituents. Theother two classes of fluoropolymer in the blend of the invention arepartially fluorinated. These fluoropolymer contain interpolymerizedunits of hydrogen containing monomers. The constituent fluoropolymerswill now be described more particularly.

The first class of fluoropolymers contains interpolymerized units oftetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and at least one other essentiallyperfluorinated monomer of the general formula (I): CF₂═CFR, wherein R isR_(f), R_(f)X, R_(f)′X or Cl; wherein X is F, Cl, Br, or H, R_(f) is aperfluorinated alkane, and R_(f)′ is: O(R² _(f)O)_(a)(R³ _(f)O)_(b)R⁴_(f) where R² _(f) and R³ _(f) are the same or are different linear orbranched C₁-C₆ perfluoroalkylene groups; a and b are, independently, 0or an integer from 1 to 10; and R⁴ _(f) is a C₁-C₆ perfluoroalkyl group.Examples of the monomers of this formula include hexafluoropropylene(HFP), chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE), perfluoroalkyl vinyl ethers(PAVE), and the perfluoroalkoxy vinyl ethers (PAOVE). Examples of theperfluoroalkyl vinyl ethers include perfluoromethyl vinyl ether (PMVE),perfluoroethyl vinyl ether (PEVE), perfluoropropyl vinyl ether (PPVE),and the like, some of which are shown below.

CF₂═CFOCF₃ PMVE CF₂═CFOCF₂CF₃ PEVE CF₂═CFOCF₂CF₂OCF₃ MV21CF₂═CFOCF₂CF₂CF₂OCF₃ MV31 CF₂═CFOCF₂CF₂CF₃ PPVE1

PPVE2

PPVE3

Combinations of perfluoroalkyl vinyl ethers and perfluoroalkoxy vinylethers may also be used.

The amount of essentially perfluorinated comonomer present with the TFEin the fully fluorinated polymer is limited to the amounts that allow itto be melt processable and remain a semi-crystalline material. Typicallythis will range between about 2% and 30% by weight depending on thecomonomer chosen and the desired properties of the fluoropolymer. Inaddition, these materials may be treated with fluorine to furtherimprove their thermal stability by known methods.

The second and third classes of fluoropolymers useful in preparation ofthe invention are referred to as partially fluorinated fluoropolymers,for they contain some constituent hydrogen atoms. Specifically, thesefluoropolymers contain interpolymerized units derived from at least onemonomer that contains hydrogen. These two classes of partiallyfluorinated fluoropolymers are distinguished from one another by thetype of constituent hydrogen containing interpolymerized units. Themonomers used to make the fluoropolymer in the first of these classescontain both non-fluorinated hydrogen-containing monomers andessentially perfluorinated monomers. The monomers used to make thefluoropolymer in the second of these classes include both hydrogen andfluorine.

The second class of fluoropolymers useful in forming the blend of thepresent invention comprises interpolymerized units of non-fluorinecontaining monomers. Such non-fluorine containing monomers useful forcopolymerizing with a fluorine containing monomer include ethylene,propylene, and higher alkenes and dienes. These non-fluorine-containingmonomers are typically present at a level of at least 5% and arecopolymerized with TFE, HFP, and/or combinations of other monomers fromFormula I. These materials may be either semi-crystalline or amorphous.In addition they may also contain minor amounts of partially fluorinatedmonomers, such as vinylidene fluoride (VF2). Typically such monomers arepresent at a level of less than about 15% by weight, preferably lessthan about 10% or even about 5%. In many instances, these polymers areessentially free of partially fluorinated hydrogen containing monomers,and contain less than 1 wt % or even 0 wt % of these monomers. Inparticular these monomers may be free of those partially fluorinatedhydrogen containing monomers which may detract from the base resistanceof the polymer. In other instances, certain specific partiallyfluorinated monomers, such as perfluorobutyl-ethylene (PFBE), which donot significantly detract from the chemical resistance of thefluoropolymer readily may be used.

The third class of fluoropolymers useful in forming the blend of thepresent invention is also partially-fluorinated, hydrogen-containingfluoropolymers. These fluoropolymers contain at least 5% by weight of atleast one partially fluorinated monomer that contains both hydrogen andfluorine atoms. Suitable monomers include primarily vinylidene fluoride,but also may include vinyl fluoride, and/or tri-fluoroethylene. Thisthird class of copolymers is comprised of either homopolymers of thesepartially fluorinated monomers or copolymers of these monomers with TFE,HFP, and/or monomers of Formula I. They may also contain below about 5wt % of other non-fluorinated monomers. This third class offluoropolymers sometimes has been characterized in the art as havingdecreased chemical resistance to bases in comparison to the otherdescribed groups and may be more prone to dissolution or swelling byhydrocarbon solvents.

The fourth class of fluoropolymers useful in forming the blend of thepresent invention comprises amorphous copolymers of TFE and HFP.

The melt processable fluoropolymer blend of the invention is formed byblending two or more fluoropolymers selected from at least two of thefour above-described groups of fluoropolymers. The first blend componentis present in a major amount, i.e., at least about 90 weight percent (wt%), more preferably at least about 95 wt % and often 98 wt % or greater,based on the total blend. This first blend component is chosen for itsinherent mechanical or physical properties for a desired application andit imparts these properties to the extrudate. This first blend componentis semicrystalline, i.e., it has a discernible melting peak. The majorcomponent often is comprised of only one polymer, but it may alsocomprise two or more fluoropolymer materials that are preferablyselected from the same group of fluoropolymers. If two or morefluoropolymers comprise the major component, they should have sufficientcompatibility such that they do not significantly phase-separate duringextrusion.

Intermediate blends may be produced to contain as low as 90%, 80%, oreven 50% of the major component with the minor component making up thedifference. These blends may also provide utility in the process of theinvention.

The second blend component, which constitutes the minor portion of thefluoropolymer blend, is chosen from one or both of the remaining classesof fluoropolymers that were not selected as the first blend component.This minor blend component may also comprise two or more fluoropolymersselected from one, or both, of the remaining classes. The second blendcomponent normally has a minimal effect, or no apparent effect on themechanical properties of the extrudate or the finished article in theintended application. It aids the extrusion properties and improves thefinal surface characteristics of the extrudate. This second blendcomponent is preferably melt-processable at the desired processingconditions of the first blend component.

Typically the minor component is present at a level of less than 5% byweight of the fluoropolymer blend, preferably less than 2%. in manyinstances, the level of this second component can be much less than 5%,such as 1% or lower, and still provide the significant benefits of theinvention. In some aspects, levels of 0.5% or even 0.05% can providebenefits over the major blend component alone.

One helpful criterion for the selection of the minor component is thatit should be largely immiscible with the first component. By selectingthe minor component from one of the remaining groups of fluoropolymers,other than that chosen from for the major component, this immiscibilitymay be achieved. A simple test for determining immiscibility involvespreparing a blend of the two materials at a temperature above themelting point, or above the melt processing temperature, of eithermaterial. At sufficiently high levels of the minor component, the blendcomponent visually will appear more opaque, milky, or cloudy incomparison to either of the individual components. Amounts of the minorcomponent necessary to achieve this affect typically vary from belowabout 1% up to about 5% by weight based on the total weight of the majorand minor components. At lower levels of the minor component, or if thetwo dissimilar fluoropolymers of the blend have a similar refractiveindex, this effect may be unnoticed. However, the minor component willremain immiscible and may be detected by known optical microscopymethods.

The immiscibility between the major and minor components of the blend isattributed to the difference in interpolymerized units in the individualpolymeric components of the polymer blend. For example, one componentmay lack a specific monomer that is appreciably present in the othercomponent. These differentiating monomers may be either randomlydispersed throughout the component polymer, or alternatively they may bemore concentrated in certain portions of the polymer such as in a blockco-polymer or a core-shell type polymer. Typically this monomericdifference will be in the presence or lack of one of the two types ofhydrogen containing monomers.

In addition, the fluoropolymer utilized in either component may containother monomers that augment the immiscibility between the twocomponents. Examples of this include longer chain monomers, which impartside chains when polymerized, or those that impart chemicalfunctionality or may serve to make the polymer chain more polarizable.Examples include, those of Formula I, wherein R_(f) contains at leastone carbon atom and preferably at least one oxygen atom. Otherpossibilities include both fluorinated and/or hydrogenated monomers thatcontain cyclic or aromatic structures, those substituted with otherhetero-atoms, and monomers with chemically-functional groups. It ispossible for both components of the fluoropolymer blend to contain someof the same types of monomers, provided that they do not have theadverse effect of making the two polymers compatible or miscible. Themore highly modified material typically should be the minor component ofthe blend.

In addition to its immiscibility, the minor component will typicallyhave a viscosity that is similar to that of the major component at theintended processing conditions of the blend. The minor component may becomprised of two or more fluoropolymers of significantly differentmolecular weight and/or composition, and may or may not be miscible withone another. The combination of the minor components remains immisciblewith the major component of the blend. In addition, the minor componentwill be of appreciable molecular weight such that it does not easilymigrate or is not easily extracted from a finished article of the blend.Minor components that are semi-crystalline or are insoluble in commonhydrocarbon solvents can also serve to minimize the extractability.

The monomeric composition of the minor component may also be chosen tominimize its influence on the physical properties of the majorcomponent. For instance if the fluoropolymer blend is used forelectrical insulation, the use of monomers which increase the dielectricconstant or dissipation factor should be minimized.

The fluoropolymers used in the formation of the blend will contain atleast 30% fluorine by weight and preferably will contain 40% or more.The percent fluorine will also depend on whether the particularfluoropolymer is used as the major or minor component and the intendedend use application for the blend. That is, many major componentfluoropolymers should contain at least about 60% fluorine and some willcontain 70% or more. In one aspect where the end-use application of thefluoropolymer is wire coating for high speed data transfer, the majorcomponent could be an essentially perfluorinated material such as FEP,which can contain up to 76% fluorine by weight. Another example for themajor component would be a copolymer of TFE, VF2 and HFP, which containsabout 70% fluorine or more, for use as for a flexible fuel hose barrier.In either case, the minor component used to form the blend could be, forexample, a hydrogen-containing fluoropolymer comprising interpolymerizedunits of ethylene or propylene that contains about 65% to 60% or less offluorine, or alternatively the minor phase may be an essentiallyperfluorinated amorphous copolymer of TFE and MV-31.

The major and minor blend components can be combined through any knownmeans. The minor component preferably is well dispersed within the majorcomponent of the fluoropolymer blend. The before-mentioned criteria forthe selection of the minor component will aid in this dispersion, aswill the incorporation and mixing technique chosen to prepare the blend.To effect the desired dispersion within the blend, the two componentsmay be fed in a form such as pellet, powder, flake, or liquiddispersion, to a suitable blending or pre-blending device. Typicaldevices for blending the materials in the molten state include singleand twin screw extruders and batch mixers. In addition, more than one ofthese mixing techniques may be used to form the blend in which the minorcomponent is uniformly dispersed and randomly distributed. For instance,a higher amount of the minor component, at levels up to about 20%, mayfirst be blended into the major component using a twin screw extruder.This blend may then be diluted with more of the major component usinganother mixing technique to form the final desired composition of thefluoropolymer. This final blending step may also be the same step thatis used to form a finished extruded article. When the minor component iswell dispersed, the fluoropolymer blend will enhance the performancebenefits of the invention. Proper dispersion can also allow for loweruse levels of the minor component.

When the major component of the blend is comprised of a perfluorinatedpolymer, the selected fluoropolymer will be copolymers of TFE and atleast 2 wt % of one or more comonomers of Formula I. Preferredcomonomers include HFP at levels up to about 20 wt % and/or PAVE(perfluoroalkylvinylethers) at levels of up to about 10 wt %. Copolymersof TFE and HFP are commonly referred to as FEP. Copolymers of TFE andPAVE, such as PPVE-1, are referred to as PFA. Commercially availablepolymers useful in the is aspect of the invention include FEP 6322, PFA6502N, PFA FLEX X 6515 UHP from Dyneon LLC (Oakdale, Minn.); FEP 5100,PFA 950 HP and FEP CJ95 from DuPont (Wilmington, Del.), FEP NP101 andPFA 238SH from Daikin (Japan) and MFA 620 from Ausimont (Italy).

The minor component that is blended with the major componentperfluorinated polymer will also be semi-crystalline. It is selectedfrom either group of partially fluorinated fluoropolymers.Alternatively, it may be a polymer comprising any combination of the twodifferent types of hydrogen containing monomers with other fluorinatedpolymers. Examples include ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE),hexafluoropropylene-ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (HTE),tetrafluoroethylene-propylene (TFE/P), poly (vinylidene fluoride)(PVdF), and tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene-vinylidene fluoride(THV).

When the major component is chosen from the group of fluoropolymers thatcontain interpolymerized units lacking fluorine along with fluorinatedmonomers, the preferred materials are copolymers which contain bothethylene and TFE. Preferably the ethylene content is at least about 10wt %. Additionally, these polymers may contain HFP,perfluoroalkylvinylethers, and other long chain monomers such as PFBE.Commercially available materials of these preferred polymers includeETFE 6235, ETFE 6235J, HTE X 1510 and HTE X 1705 from Dyneon and EFEPfrom Daikin.

The minor component for this blend can be selected from either the groupof fully fluorinated copolymers or from the group of partiallyfluorinated polymers that are comprised of monomers which contain bothfluorine and hydrogen. Examples of this latter group includehomopolymers and copolymers of VF2 with monomers of Formula I. A groupof preferred materials for the minor component are those that containsubstantially lower levels of hydrogen containing monomers than does themajor blend component. Examples of this group include copolymers of TFEwith HFP and/or PPVE.

When the major blend component is selected from the group comprised ofmonomers that contain both hydrogen and fluorine, the fluoropolymer willbe a copolymer of VF2 and at least one other copolymerizable comonomer.The preferred materials will contain at least 5 wt % and preferably 10wt % and higher of essentially perfluorinated monomers. Preferredmonomers include TFE and HFP, but may also contain smaller amounts ofmonomers from Formula I, such as PPVE. In many instances, the levels ofVF2 in the major component may be as low as 15 wt % or 10 wt %, and insome aspects as low as 5 wt %. Commercially available polymers useful inthis aspect of the invention include THV 200, THV500, and THV815 fromDyneon.

The minor component for this blend is chosen from either the group ofperfluorinated fluoropolymers or those formed from copolymers offluorine free monomers with fluorine containing monomers. A group ofpreferred materials for the minor component in this blend are those thatcontain substantially different levels of hydrogen containing monomersthan does the major component. Examples of this group include copolymersof TFE with HFP and/or a PAVE such as PPVE.

A preferred group of fluoropolymers, that is particularly well suitedfor use as the minor component in the formation of a blend of theinvention (with any major component), are those copolymers which containhigher levels of perfluoroalkylvinylether or perfluoroalkoxyvinylethermonomers and at least one copolymerizable comonomer. This group may beconsidered as a subset of any of the before mentioned classes offluoropolymers, but it is not limited to being semi-crystalline.Typically the level of these specific monomers will be such that thefluoropolymer is nearly or completely amorphous and lack a discernableor appreciable melting point as determined by DSC (differential scanningcalorimetry). The relatively high amounts of these monomers in the minorcomponent fluoropolymer contributes to the immiscibility required of theblend.

Preferred comonomers for forming this class of minor component that arerich in PAVEs and/or PAOVEs include primarily TFE and VF2. Preferably,the fluoropolymer will contain at least 3 mole percent (mol %), morepreferably at least about 5 mol %, of VF2 or other hydrogen containingmonomers. When there is less than 3 mol % of VF2, the fluoropolymer willcontain a perfluoro alkoxy vinyl ether monomer.

The uniqueness of this group of fluoropolymers allows them to be used asthe minor component to form a fluoropolymer blend with any of the beforementioned semi-crystalline, melt processable fluoropolymers, providedthat the two components remain immiscible. Specific examples include FEPas the major component and copolymers of TFE and MV-31 as the minor andTHV as the major and copolymers, of VF2 and PMVE as the minor blendcomponent. In addition, other minor component fluoropolymers as definedherein may be used in conjunction with these PAVE/PAOVE materials.

Additives such as pigments, fillers, conductive agents and inorganicmaterials are often added to modify the properties of fluoropolymers.The ability to incorporate these materials and to achieve gooddispersion and distribution of them throughout the fluoropolymer matrixcan be difficult. Interactions between the fluoropolymer and theadditive can lead to reactions that may degrade either component. Theseinteractions can also cause substantial decreases in the MFI (increasingmelt viscosity) of the resulting compound, which further hinders itsprocessability. In addition, this rise in viscosity can lead tooverheating of the compound during processing that can lead to furtherdegradation of the fluoropolymer.

It has now been found that the addition of a minor blend component alongwith the additive to the major blend component can substantiallymitigate the interactions between the additive and the major blendcomponent. The fluoropolymer blends of the invention may also serve toimprove the dispersion of additives that are otherwise difficult toincorporate into the major blend component. In general, thefluoropolymers that are chosen as the minor blend component to improvethe dispersion of the additive are from the same previously describedclasses of fluoropolymers and the same teachings for selection of themajor and minor component apply.

One or more additive(s) may be incorporated into the fluoropolymer blendvia any known means. For example, the additive may be pre-blended intothe minor component and this mixture subsequently can be added to themajor component. Alternatively, the additive(s) and minor component(s)together can be added to the major component(s) using one blendingprocedure. When the additive is pre-blended into the minor component,the amount of minor component in the final fluoropolymer blend may be ashigh as 20% by weight or higher.

In one embodiment the viscosity of the minor component may besignificantly lower than that of the major component to aid theincorporation of the additive. This difference in viscosity between thetwo fluoropolymer components may an order of magnitude or greater, oreven two orders of magnitude or greater.

In another embodiment, the minor component is chosen such that it hasless of an interaction or interference with the additive than the majorcomponent. This embodiment of the invention helps incorporate anadditive into the major blend component. An easy test to determine if afluoropolymer is less interfering than another is to make a simple meltcompound of the additive and the fluoropolymer and compare it to thecompound of another fluoropolymer with the additive. The interactionsthat may occur include discoloration, off gassing, and changes inviscosity. Examples of reactive fluoropolymers are those which comprisepartially fluorinated monomers.

While the minor component may aid in the process of dispersing theadditive, the other benefits it provides to the fluoropolymer blend maybe diminished by the presence of the additive in some embodiments. Meansto minimize or even overcome this effect may be as simple as increasingthe amount of the minor component fluoropolymer in the blend. Analternative is to provide an additional minor component to the blend. Inthis embodiment, one of the minor component fluoropolymers may serveprimarily to improve the dispersion of the additive, while the otheraids in the processing of the major component. The minor component thatis intended for improving the processing of the overall blend can beadded as the final ingredient after pre-blending the other components tominimize any adverse interactions with the rest of the mixture.

The blends of the invention can provide a variety of improvements to theextrusion process. In comparison to the extrusion of major component byitself, the inventive fluoropolymer blend can reduce the torque, and/orpressure in an extrusion process. It may also reduce surface defectssuch as melt fracture and improve the surface finish of extrudedarticles. Further, the addition of the minor component, even at very lowlevels, can minimize the formation of die drool that could otherwiseoccur from the major component. The inventive fluoropolymer blends mayalso allow for the processing of the major component at conditions thatare otherwise not feasible for the major component, such as at coldertemperatures and/or higher shear rates, and can allow for the economicalprocessing of higher molecular weight major components to gain theirbenefits. The invention may also provide for improved control of theextrudate dimensions, such as caliper of wire coatings. Any of theselisted benefits may occur either singly or in combination with others.

Depending on the selection and usage levels of the materials used toform the fluoropolymer blend, the benefits described above may occuralmost instantaneously or more slowly over a period of time. If desired,the time for these benefits to present themselves may be lessened byusing a higher concentration of the minor component at the outset of theextrusion process. This initial procedure may then be followed by theintended concentration of the FP blend for formation of the end-usearticle. Alternatively, the major component may be extruded alone for aperiod of time to receive the benefits of the fluoropolymer blend whilethe effect of the minor component still lingers in the extrusionequipment.

The inventive fluoropolymer blends provide benefits to known extrusionprocesses. In general, a single screw extruder or other device isemployed to pump the blend through a die or tool to shape the extrudateinto the desired form, such as a film, sheet, rod, tube, hose, wirecoating, laminates, containers, and the like. End use articles producedfrom extrusion processes include, e.g., films, foils, hoses, wires,cables, coatings, laminates, bottles, and drums for applications such aschemical barriers, fluid transport, communications cables and chemicalcontainment.

EXAMPLES

Materials

All monomers are reported as nominal values in weight percent. Allpolymers were commercially available or produced by known methods foraqueous emulsion polymerization.

FP (fluoropolymer) Description

A Dyneon HTE X 1705, a semi-crystalline copolymer of 12% ethylene, 61%TFE, 27% HFP

B Dyneon FEP 6322, a semi-crystalline copolymer of 86% TFE, 14% HFP

C Dyneon PFA 6613N, a semi-crystalline copolymer of 96% TFE, 4% PPVE-1

D Dyneon THV 220G, a semi-crystalline copolymer of 40% TFE, 40% VF2 and20% HFP

E Semi-crystalline copolymer of 76% TFB, 13% VF2 and 11% HFP

F Amorphous copolymer of 30% VF2, 14% TFE, 56% MV-31 and less than 1% ofBTFE (bromotrifluoroethylene)

G Amorphous copolymer of 78% TFE, 21% propylene, less than 1% BTFE

H Dynamar FX-9613, an amorphous copolymer of 60% VF2 and 40% HFP

I Semi-crystalline copolymer of 88% TFE, 12% propylene

J Dyneon ET 6235, a semi-crystalline copolymer of ethylene, TFE andPPVE-1

K Dynamar PPA-2231, an amorphous copolymer of 60% VF2 and 40% HFP

L Amorphous copolymer of 51% TFE, 48% MV-31, less than 1% BTFE

M Dyneon HTE X 1500, semi-crystalline copolymer of 12% ethylene, 61%TFE, 27% HFP

N Semi-crystalline copolymer of 38% TFE, 40% VF2, 18% HFP and 4% PPVE-1

Example 1

A fluoropolymer blend was prepared by tumbling a pellet mixture of 2 lbs(908 g) of FP-A with 18 lbs (8.18 kg) of FP-B. The blend was then feedto a 2 inch (5.08 cm) Davis Standard wire coating extruder with a mixingscrew that was fitted with a GenCa 510 cross-head. The die and pin setused in the cross-head were 0.380 and 0.220 inches (9.65 mm and 5.59 mm)respectively. The temperatures of the extruder were set to deliver amelt temperature of 700° F. (371° C.) and the screw rpm's were set togive an output that would coat 7 mils (178 μm) of insulation onto 20 mil(508 μm) copper wire at 1500 fpm (457 mpm). Within minutes after theaddition of the blend, the tubular extrudate was opaque and smooth andthe pressure in the extruder had decreased about 35%. In addition, therewere no visible signs of die drool or phase separation from the blend.This blend was immediately followed by the extrusion of pure FP-B. Whenthe extrudate returned to transparent, indicating that the blend hadlargely exited the die, it remained free of melt fracture for a periodof about 10 minutes. The melt fracture gradually reappeared over aperiod of about 5 more minutes and the pressure eventually returned tothe previous starting value.

Comparative Example 1 (CE-1)

The extruder used in Example 1 was cleaned to bare metal and a sample ofpure FP-B was feed at the same extrusion conditions. The extrudateexhibited severe melt fracture. At these conditions, nominal 20 mil (508μm) copper wire was coated to an average diameter of 34 mils (864 μm).The resulting wire had a rough finish and subsequent analysis indicatedthe diameter down a 6 ft. (1.83 m) length of the wire varied by about+/−4 mils (+/−102 μm). The copper wire that was being coated had byitself a variation of less than +/−0.1 mils (+/−2.5 μm) indicating thatmost of the variation in the coated wire sample was occurring within thefluoropolymer coating.

Example 2

Following the procedure of Example 1, another blend was preparedcontaining 5% of FP-A and 95% FP-B. The two resins were feed to theextruder and a similar effect was observed as in example 1. After theblend had exited the die, the extruder was feed with only FP-B andcopper was threaded through the die and the wire coating process begun.Both the inner and outer surfaces of the extrudate were visibly free ofmelt fracture. The resulting wire had a nominal diameter of 34 mils (864μm) with a variation of about +/−0.5 mils (12.7 μm).

Comparative Example 2 (CE-2)

Wire was prepared according to CE-1, but the extruder was adjusted todeliver a melt temperature of 760° F. (404° C.). The outside of theextrudate was smooth and the inside had a faint frosted appearanceindicating mild melt fracture. The resulting wire had a diametervariation of about +/−1.5 mil (38 μm).

Example 3

A FP blend of 5% of FP-A and 95% FP-B was melt-compounded on a Berstorftwin screw extruder and extruded into pellets. The pellets had a white,opaque appearance and optical microscopy revealed the minor component tobe well dispersed and distributed within the major componentfluoropolymer. A portion of this blend was feed at a ratio of 1 part byweight of the blend with 4 parts of FP-B to the wire coating extruderused in Example 1. The extruder was operated under similar conditions tothat of Example 1 and within 30 minutes the extrudate of FP-B, whichcontained 1% of the minor component FP-A, was visibly free of meltfracture. In contrast to comparative Example 2, the resulting wire ofthis experiment had a smoother finish and less diameter variation. Thetensile and elongation properties of the wire were determined accordingto UL test method 444. Samples were tested both before and after heataging (7 days @ 232 C) and did not show any significant deviation fromthe sample produced in comparative example 2. This indicates that thepresence of the minor component did not negatively affect the mechanicalproperties of the major component FP used to coat the wire.

Examples 4 through 11 and Comparative Examples 3 through 6

The following sets of experiments were conducted to show the changes inextrusion performance and/or changes in surface appearance of variousfluoropolymer blends. The individual fluoropolymers utilized were ineither pellet or powder form or in the form of small cubes about thesize of the pellets. Fluoropolymer blends were produced by tumbling 5 wt% of a minor component along with 95 wt % of a major component andfeeding the mixture to a Brabender single screw extruder equipped with arod die. The die had a 0.1125 inch (2.9 mm) diameter orifice and wasfitted with a die tip heater. Before extruding any of the blends, themajor component of a given blend was first extruded by itself. Theoutput rate and temperature settings of the extruder and die wereadjusted until the major component exhibited severe sharkskin-type meltfracture. The FP blend was then extruded under the same conditions andobserved for changes in extrusion pressure and torque, or for changes inthe appearance of the extrudate, in comparison to the major component.In between each experiment, the major component was extruded by itselfto re-establish the starting conditions. In some instances, the extruderwas disassembled and cleaned.

Examples 4 through 6; see results in Table 1

TABLE 1 Melt % Pressure Experiment Major Minor temp. Decrease AppearanceEx. 4 FP-B FP-A 371 65 smooth, milky Ex. 5 FP-B FP-E 371 8 smooth, clearEx. 6 FP-B FP-F 371 25 clear, smooth

Example 7

A blend of 5% FP-G and 95% FP-B was extruded under the same conditionsof example 4 to demonstrate the method claim of the invention. The blendhad a 15% drop in extrusion pressure compared to FP-B. The extrudateappeared free of melt fracture, but had a rough surface believed to becaused by the poor quality of dispersion in the fluoropolymer blend.

Comparative Example 3 (CE-3)

A blend of 5% of an amorphous copolymer of VF2 and HFP (FP-H) and 95%FP-B was extruded under the same conditions as Example 4. The extrudatewas brown and full of bubbles.

Example 8

A fluoropolymer blend of 5% of FP-J and 95% of FP-C was extruded underthe same conditions as Example 4, except an extrusion temperature of360° C. was used. The extrudate had a smooth surface and was lesstranslucent than FP-C.

Example 9

The procedure of Example 8 was repeated except that FP-J was substitutedfor the minor component. About a 20% decrease in extrusion pressureoccurred and the extrudate was smooth and opaque.

Comparative Example 4

The procedure of Example 8 was repeated except that FP-K was substitutedfor the minor component. The extrudate was tan and contained bubbles.

Example 10

The procedure of Example 8 was repeated except that FP-L was substitutedfor the minor component and FP-D was substituted for the majorcomponent. The extrusion temperature was set at 210° C. and the die tipheater was not used. The torque during extrusion was about 5% less thanFP-D alone. The extrudate was melt fractured and milky in appearance.

Example 11

The procedure of Example 10 was repeated except that FP-M wassubstituted for the minor component. The torque during extrusion wasabout 10% less than FP-D alone. The extrudate was melt fractured andclear in appearance.

Comparative Example 5

The procedure of Example 10 was repeated except that FP-N wassubstituted for the minor component. There were no changes in torque orpressure during extrusion. The extrudate was transparent and the meltfracture appeared worse than that of FP-D when it was extruded alone.

Comparative Example 6

The procedure of comparative Example 10 was repeated except that FP-Hwas substituted for the minor component. There were no changes in torqueor pressure during extrusion. The extrudate was opaque and exhibitedmelt fracture.

Various modifications and alterations of this invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scopeand principles of this invention, and it should be understood that thisinvention is not to be unduly limited to the illustrative embodimentsset forth hereinabove. All publications and patents are hereinincorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individualpublication or patent was specifically and individually incorporated byreference.

What is claimed is:
 1. A melt processable fluorothermoplasticcomposition comprising a major amount of a first fluoropolymer, whereinthe first fluoropolymer comprises a semi-crystalline fluorinatedcopolymer, and a minor amount of a second fluoropolymer effective toreduce melt defects in the composition, each fluoropolymer beingselected from: (a) a semi-crystalline perfluorinated copolymer, (b) afluoropolymer derived from interpolymerized units of at least oneessentially perfluorinated monomer, at least one non-fluorinatedhydrogen-containing monomer, and optionally, perfluorobutyl-ethyleneand/or no more than about 1% by weight of other partially fluorinatedmonomers; (c) a fluoropolymer derived from interpolymerized units of atleast one partially-fluorinated monomer, and optionally at least oneessentially perfluorinated monomer, and (d) an amorphous copolymer oftetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene; wherein when the firstfluoropolymer is selected from (a), the second fluoropolymer is asemi-crystalline fluoropolymer selected from (b) and/or (c); when thefirst fluoropolymer is selected from (b), the second fluoropolymer isselected from (a), (c), and/or (d); and when the first fluoropolymer isa copolymer selected from (c), the second fluoropolymer is selected from(a), (b), and/or (d); with the proviso that, when the melt processablefluorothermoplastic composition comprises one or more copolymersselected from (c), the melt processable fluorothermoplastic compositioncomprises either; at least about 80% by weight of copolymers selectedfrom (c) or no more than about 5% by weight of copolymers selected from(c).
 2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the first fluoropolymercomprises a semi-crystalline perfluorinated copolymer.
 3. Thecomposition of claim 2 wherein the first fluoropolymer comprises acopolymer of TFE with HFP and/or a PAVE.
 4. The composition of claim 3wherein the level of HFP is from about 10 to about 20% by weight.
 5. Thecomposition of claim 3 wherein the level of PAVE is from about 2 toabout 10% by weight.
 6. The composition of claim 2 wherein the secondfluoropolymer comprises: (i) a fluoropolymer derived frominterpolymerized units of at least one essentially perfluorinatedmonomer and at least one non-fluorinated hydrogen-containing monomer,and/or (ii) a fluoropolymer derived from interpolymerized units of atleast one partially-fluorinated monomer, and optionally at least oneessentially perfluorinated monomer.
 7. The composition of claim 6wherein the essentially perfluorinated monomer comprises TFE and/or HFPand the non-fluorinated hydrogen-containing monomer comprises ethyleneand/or propylene.
 8. The composition of claim 7 wherein the level ofnon-fluorinated hydrogen-containing monomer is about 10% by weight orgreater.
 9. The composition of claim 6 wherein the second fluoropolymeris derived from interpolymerized units of TFE and ethylene, andoptionally HFP, a PAVE, and/or PFBE.
 10. The composition of claim 6wherein the second fluoropolymer is derived from interpolymerized unitsof TFE and propylene.
 11. The composition of claim 3 wherein the secondcopolymer is derived from interpolymerized units of TFE and ethylene,and optionally HFP, a PAVE, and/or PFBE.
 12. The composition of claim 1wherein the first fluoropolymer comprises a fluoropolymer derived frominterpolymerized units of at least one essentially perfluorinatedmonomer and at least one non-fluorinated hydrogen-containing monomer.13. The composition of claim 12 wherein the first fluoropolymer isderived from interpolymerized units of TFE and ethylene, and optionallyHFP, PPVE-1, and/or PFBE.
 14. The composition of claim 12 wherein thesecond fluoropolymer comprises a semi-crystalline perfluorinatedcopolymer; and/or a fluoropolymer derived from interpolymerized units ofat least one partially-fluorinated monomer, and optionally at least oneessentially perfluorinated monomer.
 15. The composition of claim 14wherein the second fluorinated copolymer comprises a copolymer of TFEwith HFP and/or a PAVE.
 16. The composition of claim 1 wherein the firstfluoropolymer comprises a fluoropolymer derived from interpolymerizedunits of at least one partially-fluorinated monomer, and at least oneessentially perfluorinated monomer.
 17. The composition of claim 16wherein the partially fluorinated monomer comprises VF2 and theessentially perfluorinated monomer comprises TFE, HFP, and/or a PAVE.18. The composition of claim 16 wherein the first fluoropolymercomprises interpolymerized units of VF2, TFE, and HFP, and optionally aPAVE.
 19. The composition of claim 17 wherein the amount of VF2comprises from about 5 to about 40% by weight.
 20. The composition ofclaim 17 wherein the amount of VF2 comprises from about 5 to about 20%by weight.
 21. The composition of claim 16 wherein the secondfluoropolymer comprises a semi-crystalline perfluorinated copolymer;and/or a fluoropolymer derived from interpolymerized units of at leastone essentially perfluorinated monomer and at least one non-fluorinatedhydrogen-containing monomer.
 22. The composition of claim 1 wherein thefirst fluoropolymer comprises interpolymerized units of TFE, HFP, andfrom about 5 to about 20% by weight of VF2, and the second copolymercomprises interpolymerized units of ethylene and/or propylene, and TFEand/or HFP.
 23. The composition of claim 1 wherein the secondfluoropolymer further comprises an amorphous fluorinated copolymerderived from interpolymerized units of a perfluoro (alkoxy vinyl) etherand a comonomer which may be partially or fully fluorinated; and/or anamorphous fluorinated copolymer derived from interpolymerized units ofat least 3 mole percent (mol %) of an hydrogen containing comonomer, anda perfluoro (alkoxy vinyl) ether and/or a perfluoro (alkyl vinyl) ether.24. A melt processable fluorothermoplastic composition comprising amajor amount of a first fluoropolymer, wherein the first fluoropolymercomprises semi-crystalline fluorinated copolymer, and a minor amount ofa second fluoropolymer effective to reduce melt defects in thecomposition, the second fluoropolymer being selected from: (a) anamorphous fluorinated copolymer derived from interpolymerized units of aperfluoro (alkoxy vinyl) ether and a comonomer which may be partially orfully fluorinated; and/or (b) up to about 5% by weight of an amorphousfluorinated copolymer derived from interpolymerized units of at least 3mole percent (mol %) of an hydrogen containing comonomer, and aperfluoro (alkoxy vinyl) ether.
 25. The composition of claim 24 whereinthe second fluoropolymer comprises at least about 5 mol % of an hydrogencontaining comonomer.
 26. The composition of claim 24 wherein the secondfluoropolymer comprises a perfluoro (alkoxy vinyl) ether wherein thealkoxy group contains 2 to 6 carbon atoms.
 27. The composition of claim24 wherein the second fluoropolymer comprises a perfluoro (alkyl vinyl)ether wherein the alkyl group contains 1 to 5 carbon atoms.
 28. Thecomposition of claim 24 wherein the second fluoropolymer comprises ahydrogen containing comonomer selected from vinylidene fluoride,trifluoroethylene, ethylene, propylene, and combinations thereof.
 29. Anarticle comprising the composition of claim
 1. 30. The composition ofclaim 1 in the form of a container, film, hose, tubing, or wire coating.